


Everybody needs somebody to love

by GingerPebble



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies), Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Acromantulas, F/M, If Hagrid weren't the gamekeeper of Hogwarts he'd totally be a magizoologist, Love at First Sight, One Shot, Shared affinity for dangerous creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-19
Updated: 2017-04-19
Packaged: 2018-10-20 23:53:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,209
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10673346
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerPebble/pseuds/GingerPebble
Summary: 'Hagrid is my good friend and a good man. When I was discovered and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I have lived here in the forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness' -Aragog in Harry Potter and the Chamber of SecretsDid you ever wondered just how Hagrid found ANOTHER highly dangerous creature to keep Aragog company? Why, he asked our favourite magizoologist for help, of course!





	Everybody needs somebody to love

It was a clear, crisp night with not a single cloud in the sky. A bright moon, nearly full and countless stars shining over the tree tops, but no star- nor moonlight reached the grounds. The thick branches and leaves could not be penetrated even by the strongest rays of the sun, so there was very little brushwood growing between the trees and the trunks seemed like the columns in a cavern, bearing the weight of a wooden ceiling. This deep in the forest many creatures – some malicious, some benign, but all of them dangerous – found their home, making it forbidden to all Hogwarts' students to step into the forest.

Nevertheless two men determinedly made their way through the wood, following a conjured ball of light, which hovered above them. Both paid attention to their surroundings but did not seem afraid or even worried. The two men were of very different build and appearance and the smaller one, wearing a dark blue coat , was dwarfed by his companion. Having to take three steps for each one of his fellow's, he was almost running to keep up, a struggle that was not made any easier by the leather suitcase he carried along in his right hand. His companion, easily twice his size and thrice his bulk, carrying a crossbow with the quiver slung across one shoulder, could have seemed menacing in another situation, but did not. Instead he seemed to radiate kindness and a barely restrained, almost childlike excitement.

'I'm so happy you've finally found a female, Mr. Scamander!' he said. 'You see, I had to settle him in a hollow pretty deep in the forest, wasn't safe otherwise. But with the long trek I can't visit as often as I'd like and I think poor Aragog started to feel lonely.'

'Oh, but I really couldn't let such an opportunity slip through my fingers, Hagrid. A mature pair of spiders could be the beginning of an entire population in the forest' the smaller one – Mr. Newt Scamander – replied. 'It wasn't easy to find an adult animal willing to travel with me. Acromantulas are an endangered species, you know. People are so afraid of their appearance that whole groups are killed off as soon as they're discovered. I freed Mosag from animal traffickers that kept her chained and sold her venom. Tipped off some of my contacts with the Aurors too, so that group was taken care of.'

'Cruel bastards,' Hagrid muttered.

Meanwhile the two had approached a tunnel in the ground, wide enough that a car might have fit through the entrance if it weren't for the thick, sticky ropes that spanned across, forming a gigantic spiderweb.

'This is fantastic!' exclaimed Newt.

He sprang forward, leaning in to inspect the web until his nose almost touched it.

'Hagrid, these strands each have a diameter of almost two inches. Aragog must be truly impressive.'

Suddenly the web began to tremble. First one, then two -three, four hairy, long legs appeared, followed by a massive body with eight black, round eyes and two sharp pincers. Aragog, king of the arachnids! Newt slowly, respectfully stepped back, never taking his eyes of the gigantic spider who crawled out of the tunnel.

'Hagrid -click- you have -click- brought someone with you -click. Is he -click- a friend?'

The beast spoke in a halting manner, his words interrupted by the rhythmic, dry clicking of his pincers.

'Aragog, this is Mr. Scamander. He has brought someone we want you to meet.'

Carefully Newt set his suitcase on the ground, unlocked it and opened the lid. He stepped into the suitcase, disappeared and muffled shouting could be heard from inside. Only a scant few moments had passed before Newt reappeared and climbed out, giving Hagrid a short nod before turning his attention back to Aragog.

'She's coming.'

Expectant silence, then another long, hairy leg appeared out of the suitcase. The beast that came out was a bit smaller than Aragog, but looked no less terrifying. For a moment everybody seemed to freeze, then Aragog took a small, hesitant step forward.

'You -click- are like me -click, click. I have never -click- met -click- someone of my -click- own kind -click.'

The spider's voice trembled with excitement and nervousness, as much as such emotions could be recognised in a voice so different from humans and his pincers clicked faster in his anxiety.

'And I -click- have not seen -click- my kind for far too long -click,' the female spider, Mosag, replied.

The two spiders crawled closer to each other, their first pair of legs brushing against each other while their conversation descended into indiscernible clicking and hissing noises. Hagrid and Newt both watched, enthralled by the proceedings. Their gazes held a curious mixture of almost parental affection and a scientist's -a magizoologist's- fascination for the behaviour of beasts. Finally the spiders reached the end of their discussion and Mosag and Aragog turned their attention back to the two humans watching them.

"'Thank you, Newt Scamander -click- for bringing me here -click. I will stay -click,' Mosag said."

Then Aragog turned to Hagrid.

'You have -click- brought me a mate. Click- she is beautiful. I am sure -click- our offspring will be numerous. I owe you -click- my gratitude.'

Gently the half-giant reached out and brushed his hand over one of his arachnoid friend's hairy legs.

'You owe me nothing and you never will. You are my first, my oldest friend, Aragog.'

His voice sounded choked by emotions.

'I leave you two, so you can get to know each other. Goodbye Aragog, Mosag.'

Hagrid left the hollow and so did Newt after having given a short bow of farewell to the two Acromantulas.

The men walked in silence, both lost in their own thoughts, until they reached Hogwarts' gates.

'Thank you, Mr. Scamander. You have made my friend very happy. I had almost stopped searching for someone to help me finding a mate for him. No one I asked wanted to hear anything about it, except for you.'

Hesitantly Newt reached up and let his hand rest softly on Hagrid's arm.

'You're a gentle soul,' he said earnestly. 'I have travelled all over the world and yet I have met very few who could do what you do. You look upon a creature and no matter how repelling they might appear from a conventional point of view, you can instantly look past their ghastly appearance and find another kind of beauty. You see fascinating, complex and intelligent creatures, who are capable of friendship and worthy of love, where others see only monsters. And that, I have found, is a rare gift indeed.'

The two stepped to the gates, Hagrid pulled open the heavy iron and Newt left the Hogwarts' grounds.

'Well, goodbye then, Hagrid. Until we meet again.'

'Goodbye Mr. Scamander.'

Another short nod, then Newt adjusted his coat and scarf, gripped the handle of his suitcase tighter and disapparated with a barely audible plop. Hagrid stared at the now vacant spot for a moment, then closed and relocked the gate before turning and making his way back to his hut. Deep in the forest, faraway from all human eyes, two Acromantulas rested, their many legs intertwined in their sleep.

**Author's Note:**

> Please let me know what you thought. I am neither an English native speaker nor an experienced writer, so corrections and constructive criticism are welcome.


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